Join us!

The Homeless World Cup is more than a football tournament—it’s a chance to contribute to social change, meet people with deep knowledge and lived experience, and share ideas for solving major societal challenges. Every day we organiza a meeting point with a panel discussion on relevant topics, and after the meeting points we serve free soup and encourage participants to continue the conversations.

• Saturday, August 23, 16:30–17:15: How can we make football accessible to everyone in Oslo? Panelists: Jamil Dost (chair of the board at Oslo Student Sports Association (OSI)), Anita Leirvik North (Vice Mayor for Culture and Business Development at the City of Oslo), player TBA Sign up here  

• Sunday, August 24, 14:30–15:15: How do we create hope for the future? Panelists: Lindis Hurum, Secretary General of Leger uten grenser (Medecins Sans Frontieres Norway), Sunniva Gylver (The Bishop of Oslo), Britt Moene Kuven (dosent at VID), player TBA. Moderator: Knut Haugsvær (strategy leader at Salvation Army Norway) Sign up here  

• Monday, August 25, 14:30–15:15: How do we build a rental market for all? Panelists: Anna-Rita Andal (CEO, Leieboerforeningen), Tale Maria Krohn Engvik (Helsesista), player TBA, Marianne Hektoen (special consultant II, Boligsosialt innovasjonsprogram), Elisabeth Gjedrem Johansen (Leader, The Student Welfare Council in Oslo and Akershus). Moderator: Nina Langeland (communications director at SiO) Sign up here  

• Tuesday, August 26, 14:30–15:15: How do we create a workforce for everyone? Mai Phan (Founder and CEO at Variment), Øystein Eriksen Søreide (CEO at Abelia), Kathrine Haugland Martinsen (LO-sekretær, FO), player TBA. Sign up here 

• Wednesday, August 27, 14:30–15:15: How do we build the world’s safest city? Sign up here 

• Thursday, August 28, 14:30–15:15: How do we build a society that supports mental health? Sign up here 

• Friday, August 29, 14:30–15:15: How do we create a city without homelessness? Panelists: Mel Young (President and Co-Founder, Homeless World Cup), Evelyn Dyb (Researcher, OsloMet), player (TBA). Moderator: Carl Thodesen (Vice President for Social Impact and Innovation at OsloMet and Chairperson of the Board at Punkt Oslo) Sign up here 

All events will be translated from Norwegian to English, with headsets available for attendees so You can choose wether you could like to listen to the talk in Norwegian or English.

At the Innovation Arena, we bring together brilliant minds, powerful voices, and innovative ideas to explore solutions to issues related to homelessness, including housing, employment, safety, mental health, and community.

Together with street soccer national team players, researchers, politicians, business leaders, innovators, and the public, we’re creating a week filled with insight, dialogue, and action—a unique meeting point in the centre of Oslo.

‍What is happening at the Innovation Pavilion?

• Daily talks and meetingpoints from 14:30–15:15 on key societal topics

• Free soup and informal conversations following each meetingpoint

• Testpoint where companies and the public share and give feedback on new ideas and innovations

• Co-creation wall where visitors can share their ideas and solutions to major societal challenges

‍About the Homeless World Cup

Matches are played daily from 12:00–21:00, alongside academic events hosted at the tournament venue and at the Nobel Peace Center.

The Innovation Arena, meetingpoint, and testpoint are organized by Punkt Oslo in collaboration with the Homeless World Cup Foundation, The Salvation Army Norway, and Punkt Oslo members: Comte Bureau, Kristiania, NAV, Oslo Municipality, OsloMet, and SiO.

Learn more about homelessness in Norway via OsloMets research on: Færre bostedsløse i Norge and explore global perspectives on homelessness Homeless World Cup her.

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